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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22463836">Go Geniuses</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khrystyll/pseuds/Khrystyll'>Khrystyll</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Life after the end [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hikaru no Go</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Post-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:15:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,048</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22463836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khrystyll/pseuds/Khrystyll</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Go Institute always tries to get the 16 youngest professional players to join the Young Lions' Tournament. Having become professionals at such young ages, Touya and Shindou just happen to always be in that list.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Shindou Hikaru &amp; Touya Akira</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Life after the end [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1601968</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>154</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Go Geniuses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is from the POV of an original character.<br/>It doesn't really matter in the story, but both Touya and Shindou are 19.<br/>The Young Lions Tournament at the very end of the manga is referenced briefly.<br/>Ichikawa-san makes an small cameo.<br/>Everyone else is just mentioned.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Chikara is only in his second year as an insei. But as a 17-year-old, he has entered the age range when people start setting deadlines, making plan B’s, and preparing to give up their dreams of becoming a professional. He only started taking Go seriously at 15 though, so he supposes he can give himself a little longer than most.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Besides becoming a professional, one of the most exciting events that insei like him look forward to is the annual Young Lions’ Tournament. He didn’t make the cut last year, but this time, he’s sitting comfortably in 5th place.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only problem? </span>
  <em>
    <span>They </span>
  </em>
  <span>are going to be participating this year as well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Touya Akira is a damn title holder! The youngest ever to become Ouza! Are the organizers seriously thinking it’s going to be fun when he viciously beats the poor insei he gets matched up with!? With his undoubtedly busy schedule, Chikara can only be amazed that Touya Ouza even has time to participate in this tournament.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On the other hand, there is Shindou Hikaru 5-dan. The perfect example that strength doesn’t necessarily match rank. For the last two years, he’s the only person lower than an 7-dan who has managed to win against not only Touya Ouza, but also Kurata Atsushi Meijin. Chikara still hears whispers here and there about the time Shindou Hikaru 5-dan didn’t show up for the Young Lions’ Tournament in his first year as a pro. But he hasn’t missed a game — any game from any tournament — since.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first time the two pro players played against each other in the Young Lions’ Tournament, the media never quite got over how it was a shame that the best game in the tournament happened in the second round. Since then, the institute has made sure to put them in separate brackets and their finals games were always highly anticipated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chikara doubts this year would be any different. If anything, he feels like the difference in strength between them and the insei as well as the other young professionals just keep on getting bigger and bigger every year.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Really, it’s a wonder they haven’t been banned from participating.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unless there are circumstances that cannot be helped, the institute always tries to get the 16 youngest pro players to join the tournament. Having become professionals at such young ages, Touya Ouza and Shindou 5-dan just happen to always be in that list. It doesn’t help that for the past three years, only 2 of the 9 new pro players were younger than them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s not that Chikara doesn’t want to play them. In fact, if he gets matched up with either of them, it’ll probably be an experience he will treasure. It’ll be a chance to play against people who regularly play at the highest levels— something that even lower-dan professional players hardly get to do.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s really only a problem because they are so good that you can’t get any realistic assessment of your skills in comparison to lower-dan professionals, which are supposed to be the next goal for insei.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chikara releases a giant sigh. There’s no use wondering about such things. Right now, all he needs to do is get better. And for that, he’s off to attend Kiryuu 8-dan’s study group.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kiryuu 8-dan apparently wants to help him prepare for the Young Lions’ Tournament. So, the study group ends up discussing Touya Ouza and Shindou 5-dan’s latest match in the Kisei league. Shindou 5-dan won by 1 moku.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chikara remembers seeing the results in Weekly Go. He read the short commentary written about the game before he promptly tore the newspaper and threw it away. A fluke? A lucky move? A bad day on Touya Ouza’s part!? He couldn’t believe the nerve of the writer. Not only did he insinuate that Touya Ouza didn’t play a great game, the writer kept attributing Shindou 5-dan’s good plays to chance and luck when it was clearly skill!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Admittedly, Chikara was one of those who doubted his skills at first. The very first time Shindou Hikaru had ever beaten Touya Akira, he chalked it up to the latter having a bad day, not unlike the Weekly Go writer. Truthfully, majority of the Go world probably never expected the loud, cheeky teeanger to be anything more than another name that will linger in the mid dan levels for the rest of his life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Shindou 5-dan played against the lower-dan players, he always consistently won against them. But his games were nothing particularly striking most of the time. And when he started playing against higher-dan players, he started accumulating some losses. It was most likely at this point that the majority of the people decided he wasn’t anything special. Chikara couldn’t see anything special, either.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yet, when Chikara paid attention to the people around him, he could see that the great players of their time have their eyes on Shindou Hikaru. Ogata-sensei, Kurata-sensei, and Serizawa-sensei are just a few of them. It is also clear to anyone who has ever seen Shindou 5-dan and Touya Ouza play each other that the young Ouza considers the former his rival. Based on rumors he’s heard from the pros in Kiryuu 8-dan’s study group, their rivalry apparently goes way back to before either of them became professionals.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chikara decided that maybe he just wasn’t good enough to see what was so great about Shindou Hikaru. As with anything that requires time and dedication to master, the less you know, the easier it looks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then Shindou 5-dan went on to beat Kurata-sensei as well, and then defeat Touya Ouza for a second time, and the Go world just could no longer ignore him. Go enthusiasts and the media started eyeing him again. And while naysayers do still exist, there were fewer and fewer of them as Shindou 5-dan’s games started garnering attention, and people found they have nothing to complain about.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>The day before the tournament, Chikara’s fellow insei invited him to go to a Go salon so they can get some practice in a more casual environment and relieve some stress. He hears that they are going to the Go salon owned by the Touya family today and can’t help but be excited.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just because they own it, doesn’t mean Touya Ouza’s going to be there, you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His friend tries to keep his expectations low, but Chikara can feel it in his gut that something is going to happen. If not Touya Ouza, then maybe his father, the former Meijin, might be there! Or what if a group of pros are going to be there! Maybe he could even get a game with one of them!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Touya Go salon is in sight and Chikara is buzzing with excitement. Today is going to be a good, productive day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, they don’t even get to take a step inside the salon before they are stopped at the door because of yelling from the inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“HA?! What do you mean crude? It works!! That’s all that matters!” Chikara hasn’t been to that many Go salons but he’s never heard anyone yell in any of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was just a comment. I know better than to expect you to be refined.” The second voice, while a lot calmer, was still loud enough to be heard from outside. Chikara would bet that person spoke loudly on purpose. He couldn’t help but cringe at the level of pettiness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How about you try winning with your so-called </span>
  <em>
    <span>refined methods</span>
  </em>
  <span>, then?!” The voice was dripping with sarcasm. Gosh, this one’s just as petty as the other.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“HA?! This is the first time you’ve won this afternoon!!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won in the morning, too!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I still won more times even then!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The shouting continued, each response more childish than the last. Chikara looked at his friends, one of whom was already signalling for them to leave and just choose another Go salon. But as they all moved to leave, a name stopped them in their tracks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Another game, Touya!” No. Way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked to his friends. Their faces tell him he didn’t mishear the name. But there’s just no way… is there?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? Eager to lose again?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You wish! You can take black. I’ll still win.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How about you put 3 stones down, Shindou?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And there it is. Another familiar, unexpected name. They immediately rushed back, opened the door without stopping this time, and in front of their very eyes is confirmation that two of the Go world’s most promising players were having the world’s most childish shouting match.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chikara can hardly believe his eyes. Touya Ouza and Shindou 5-dan are now calming down. But Touya Ouza is still standing up, with both his hands curled into fists and planted firmly on top of the table. Meanwhile, Shindou 5-dan is seated but he’s using his hands to pull down underneath both his eyes, his tongue sticking out, and obnoxiously wiggling his head at his opponent.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They both eventually get around to sitting properly and starting a new game. At which point, Chikara realizes he just witnessed two of his idols in a fight more appropriate for 7-year-olds. Both of them, he might add, are supposedly older than he is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry about them. They’re always like this.” They turn towards the lady at the reception desk who spoke up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s Touya Ouza and Shindou 5-dan, right?” His friend asks from beside him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lady must have felt their disbelief (if it wasn’t already obvious from their faces) because she laughs. “Yes. Whenever they have Go discussions, it always devolves into childish fights. Our salon regulars have become used to it by now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s true, Chikara notes. Everyone else in the salon is just playing without a care, as if this whole time there weren’t two young adults yelling and hurling insults at each other. They must be </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>used to it. Chikara still can’t wrap his head around the image of Touya Ouza yelling and Shindou 5-dan making faces at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The kind reception lady helped them with the payments and guided them to seats in one corner.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would they mind if we go over to look at their game?” He couldn’t help asking. This Go salon trip isn’t turning out the way he imagined it would. But this is a very rare chance to see them play each other in person. This might actually be better than he expected because two of their possible opponents are right here at this very moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No problem! A lot of our regulars actually watch them play.” She points at the growing crowd around the table where the two pros are playing. “They also don’t mind others listening to their discussions afterwards, but... everyone avoids them once the shouting starts. As you’ve witnessed, it isn’t exactly a pleasant sight.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a look to his friends, they all silently agreed to postpone their own games and went to watch.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chikara doesn’t make it to the second round of the Young Lions’ Tournament. He lost by 7 moku in his first round match against Ochi 4-dan. Two insei won their first matches against 1-dan and 2-dan professionals, while everyone else lost in the first round like he did. But even they both lost immediately in the second round.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Really, what was he doing thinking about Touya Ouza and Shindou 5-dan when there are so many more pros much closer to him and still unmistakably stronger? He wonders if he could have beaten the 1-dan and 2-dan pros that his fellow insei did. Maybe it’ll be a good idea to ask for the kifu and study it later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Watching Touya Ouza and Shindou 5-dan’s games yesterday at the salon might have been fun and interesting. But Chikara thinks he might need to get a little bit better to even start to understand some of the moves they made. Until then, it might be more helpful for him to study games at a level that’s still higher, but closer to his own.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t help that whatever he’s learned from yesterday’s Go salon visit (which was a lot) is always overshadowed by the realization that Touya Ouza and Shindou 5-dan, for all their Go genius and exciting rivalry, are just two immature Go-obsessed maniacs.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's my first time writing a story from the perspective of an original character.<br/>I agonized over his name for the longest time, even though the names of my other OCs (in this fic and my others) came to me easily.<br/>I also made up some rules on how to choose players for the Young Lions Tournament for my purposes. I'm pretty sure such a tournament would be pretty low on the priority list of someone with a title in real life.<br/>Please leave comments to let me know what you thought of this! &lt;3</p><p>I actually wrote another story before this one, but no matter how I edited it, it just doesn't come out the way I want it to.<br/>So I've shelved that story for now and maybe I'll go back to it in the future.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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